AUTHOR: Jacqui Grace, Dee Arrand
DATE: 2016
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: ***1/2
God's Word wasn't meant to be dry and stale, but sometimes we rush through devotions on our way to something else. Bring new energy to your time in God's Word by incorporating beauty and creativity! This coloring book devotional will help you focus your attention and calm your soul.
The theme of grace is front and center in this exciting new travel-sized coloring book from Jacqui Grace. Each page includes Scripture, brief devotional thoughts, and images to color.
As a gentle tonic for the busyness and complexity of your life, let this book inspire you creatively while it reconnects you with the God who created you and knows your every need.
When offered a copy of this book, I gladly accepted and then anxiously checked my mailbox for its arrival. When it did, I was surprised at the small size, but then I realized it was the perfect size to take along on errands, etc.
So I bought some fine-tipped markers and eagerly began coloring. I’d tried colored pencils on another project, and the pressure required caused cramping in my arthritic hands, but the markers made coloring fun. Color eased from the tip onto the picture, and I began to realize why so many enjoy adult coloring books.
However, there are two major problems with the optimistic goal of this little book. First, unless one colors rapidly, doing one page per daily devotional is not realistic. My first coloring page required four days of spare time. But I figured that was okay; I could take my time and meditate on the simple thoughts presented for whatever time it took. Then I turned the page—and couldn’t read it, because the marker ink flowed right through, even marking the third. Big disappointment. I did try colored pencils, but as before, the pressure needed to create a smooth appearance created cramps in my hand.
Better, thicker paper would have made a big difference. As it is, I could only skim the sweet devotions all at once and then enjoy coloring the designs with markers, using a spare paper so the ink does not mar the following picture. The pictures to color are great, and I love meditating on each verse. But this book cannot be used as promoted. For this reason, I can only award Words of Grace three stars and a half stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.